Hey guys. Happy Tuesday. It’s a new week. Let’s strive to be that person we know we can be. Let’s be better then we were yesterday. My favorite quote now is “have courage and be kind!” That’s from the Cinderella movie. I got a chance to rewatch it this weekend with my little brother and sister. I just loved that quote. It just speaks to you. You may never know who would need that kindness you put forth. So this week be kind to others. It can change there whole life!

Have courage. Do the things you thought you can not do. Don’t let the devil steal that from you. Believe in yourself. Someone once told me you are your own worst critic. I know that to be true. Because I am constantly putting myself down. It has to end sometime. Why not today? So let’s do all the things others and ourselves said we can not do!

Having Courage and Kindness

Ebony Monae💜

ps

I really hope we all be a little more kinder to others. And have ALOT more courage to do the things we thought we can not.

Hello my Natural Sisters. I hope you guys are slaying (I love this word and Idk why lol)the natural hair world. Two weekends ago I was in Houston. Let me just go off on a tangent and speak about Houston. I loved Houston while I was there. It was my first time visiting and it won’t be my last time. It was a pretty city. The food was good. The people were nice. Houston was like the capital of Natural Hair. Everywhere I went I saw Natural Hair women. I also went to a few beauty supply stores they all sold natural hair care products and on top of that there were a lot of beauty schools I saw as I was driving by. Some of the products I saw I have never even heard of before( you know was on Youtube like nobodies business). Prices were in between. Some things I saw I was like damn they don’t have that so cheap by me. Others I was like its way cheaper by me. While there I got some cool products to try out. I have posted pictures below. I got these Products from Pampered&Twisted. They are a natural hair boutique located in Houston. It was a nice establishment. The worker was very nice and friendly. He was also helpful. He was knowledgeable about natural hair as well. When I go back to Houston I will most definitely be returning. One thing I like about Pampered &Twisted was that they sell these products online if I like what I see, it’s easy to repurchase more.

Product Reviews:

I love the Curls Blueberry Bliss Restorative Leave In Conditioner. Let me start off by saying it smells amazing. It revitalizes my tresses. Loveeeee ittttt; will definitely purchase again. The price was not to bad either.

The Blue Rose Beauty Chocolate Rose Hair Maskwas amazing. My hair was so soft after the I used it. I loved how easy it was to detangle my hair. THE SMELL? Was to die for. If I could I would eat my hair that is how good it smelled. I will for sure be repurchasing in the near future.

The Jireh Edge Controlwas my least favorite. I saw the product on many Instagram’s and Vlogs. It really did not lay my edges down. I get better results using the Eco Styler Gel. I am going to use it again and I will see if I like it any better. Will update with pic of styles if I do.

Now on to my RANT. While I was in Houston, I was at a beauty store shopping for products this young woman approached me asked me if I can explain to her somethings about Natural hair. Even though I had to catch a plane that very afternoon, actually in less than an hour. I still took the time to help her. Took the time to guide her. In April it will be three years that I am natural. I have had people help me along the way. My friend Diana was always telling me about products to use as I started to transition. Trust me on this, I have had bad hair days and then I had days where my hair was SLAYED y’all. I came to the realization that we have to help others on this journey. You would be surprised how people do not want to help other woman. For an example, a couple of months back I belonged to this Facebook group about woman empowerment. This one woman posted a pic about natural hair. So other woman were commenting and saying it was a great hair style and how they loved it, while also posting pictures of there natural hair. So this one woman posted a picture where she asked for help with her hair. Her hair was extremely short and breaking off. Not one person gave her advice but me. As woman who are natural we have to help others on this journey and yes it is a journey. Especially coming from an era where it’s common to spend money on bundles of hair instead of investing time into your own hair. Take the time and help someone on there journey. I have had quite a lot of woman ask me things about hair. Every person who asked me I gave them either resources or gave them the knowledge of what I knew. When I am in the mood to look at hair techniques I’m looking for hours, I’m researching products, blogs, vlogs and YouTube like crazy.

My Final Thoughts:

I am gaining knowledge about my hair and its empowering to me. My natural is empowering to me. Somedays I hate doing my hair and other days I am blessed that my hair is healthy and that I have the funds to take care of my hair. Invest time in your hair. Invest the time for yourself.

1.Products from Pampered & Twisted! Here is the website just in case you gals wants to check it out. http://www.pamperedtendrils.com
2. This is what my hair looks like with the Chocolate Hair Mask in. My hair is so super soft and the curls are defined.

3. I always wanted to do one of these things. So I did. Check out my Instagram Ebony_Monaes_Thoughts. I show you how I achieved this look. Can anyone tell me my hair type? I feel like its a bit of everything. My colorist doesn’t like to go by that. He says curls are curls. I am just curious is all.

5. These photos are me with my protective braids. Those edges are slicked babyyy lol.(this pic below and above I used the Eco Styler).

6.Last but not least this photo is my hair blown out and flat ironed. I love and hate my hair in this state. I hate the maintenance of it. Bumping the ends in the morning. The upkeep is not worth it to me.

One thing I want a reader to get out of this post is to love your hair and to help someone else on there natural hair journey. Love this journey your on. Like I wrote above its empowering.

Tonight is the night the comic world has been waiting for. The DC universe finally has a movie out. Can I just say I have been patiently waiting for YEARS for a DC movie. Well my wait is officially over because Superman Vs Batman Dawn of Justice premieres tonight. (I’m a Superman fan so his name always going to go first lol). This movie will bring introduce some great characters such as Aqua Man and Wonder Woman. Who has movies that are coming out in the next couple of years. Will answer the question that has been on everyone’s mind. Is Ben Affleck a good actor to play Batman? I had some reservations myself about this. Hopefully he does a great job.

I know for a fact blogs and vlogs are going to be crazyyyyy about this movie. Can’t wait to see what some of my favorite movie blogs have to say.

Sad part I won’t get to see it until Tuesday because get this; every theater was sold out this weekend. To all you nerds that bought tickets madddd early you suck. No I’m just hella jealous.

An movie review will most definitely be up later next week. Now I am going to go sulk because I can’t see it this weekend.

Good Morning. I wanted to post this Sunday when arrived back from Houston but I was tired and my hand was aching, still is for that matter my hand is in a splint. I apologize already for any misspelled words. So on to the good stuff.

On Sunday March 13th I had a life changing experience. I have written in the past how I have struggled with direction in my life. What I have not disclosed is how I struggle with my faith. I was always the one that tiptoed into Christianity. Never fully committing because I did not understand it. How people can have so much faith? How someone you never met can have so much control over your life? I never understood when people say Jesus changed my life or Jesus saved me. I just felt like how can that be. Until Sunday March 13th.

Sunday March 13th I felt Gods presence. I felt his love for me. I felt his forgiveness. I don’t know if I am explaining it right but I felt his amazing love for me. Me? Someone who always tiptoed in my faith and Christanity. Someone whose faith was smaller than a mustard seed. Someone worst than a sinner.

March 13th T.D Jakes said a prayer over my life. He spoke about how God takes people like Abraham and Jacobs. You see Jacob didn’t have a clean past. As pastor TD Jakes put it he was a “stutter”. Messed up over and over in his life. But God still took him and used him. Such as Moses. Moses was a murderer but God used him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Sitting in the stands at LakeWood Church surround by my love ones I felt such a calling on my life. Pastor T.D Jakes also spoke about how we all have a purpose in our life. I mentioned before in a previous post that I was struggling with that. Struggling with direction. Feeling lost. Pastor T.D Jakes put everything into perspective for me. “God has a plan for your life. Everything you have been through is a shadow of what’s to come. Remember where there are shadows there is always light. It will take time for you to understand your full purpose and destiny in life.”

Who knew that on this day I would be in the audience receiving that particular message. I came to Houston for a baby dedication for a friends son. I didn’t even know Pastor T.D Jakes would be there until I met up with everyone to go to Church that morning.
As I sit and write this post I can say I am at peace. I have never known such peace in my life. My mind is always running. Always thinking of the next step. Planning and when plans don’t go right then I am replanning. My mind is at peace. My spirit is at peace. I’m not thinking of tomorrow. I am just at peace. I can say at that this moment I have direction. I know God has a purpose for my life and he won’t lead me astray.

Finally at Peace,

Ebony Monae💜

ps,

Lord I pray that whoever reads this post will find direction in there life. I pray that you watch over them and guide them. Thank you lord for never giving up on me. For loving me unconditionally. I pray that your next direction in my life will be greater than the last. In your name I pray. Amen

This quote is so inspiring to me. I have a three beautiful smart nieces. As I think about them as I type this post. I want them to have more opportunities then I ever had. I came to the realization that it starts at a young age to empower them to be strong, brave and courageous. It all starts with them. In a speech by fellow feminist Emma Watson she states “….it will take 75 years for a woman to be paid the same as men.” 75 years? What saddens me the most; is that I most likely won’t be around to see it! What I do know is that it starts with the next generation of woman and that’s our daughters, nieces, granddaughters and cousins. We have to teach them to be strong. To fight for women’s rights. To never give up. TO BREAK GLASS CEILINGS.

Happy International Women’s Day! Lets all celebrate this day because WE HAVE EARNED IT!!

This week Affirmation is that your uniquely you. I posted this picture a month or so back. On Friday it applied to my life.

On Friday I posted a picture of myself dressed as a some would say an hippie. This era to me reflects woman empowerment and how they really wanted change. Anyways that night I received ridicule and was made fun of for my outfit (personally I thought I looked cute). What I am trying to say I was living my life how I saw fit. I was BEING MYSELF. Those words could have changed my whole outlook. I could have let others thoughts define me. In the end I remember the ending of this quote “…live only as YOU can.”I Understood that my life was completely mines to do with it what I wanted to. I am living it how you see I fit.

One of the biggest things I want my readers to understand is that life is short. We are not promised tomorrow. With that being said be the person you want to be, live life on your own terms. Last Wednesday I wrote a post about taking a jump in your life. Now I want you to accept who you are. I want you to love the person who you are becoming. You are strong, brilliant, beautiful. I say this mantra to myself everyday. It reminds me where I came from. The girl with so much self hate and turmoil in her life. Everyday is a battle. So I remind myself that I am beautiful and I am enough.

Keep this in mind as you go about the rest of your week. Have fun. Love openly. Dance, sing or read but do it because you love it. Do it because it makes you happy. You don’t have to dance perfectly or sing on key. Sing and dance because it brings your spirit joy.

Good Morning! Happy First Day of March!!(this was suppose to be posted yesterday morning sorry).

Okay everyone I encourage you to watch this video. You don’t even have to read my words but PLEASE watch this video.

I saw this video below on my Facebook on Valentines Day. This video was moving because that very morning I was speaking with a coworker about how lost I was in my life. Then Steve Harvey speaks of something so life changing. Just Jump he states! “Don’t let fear keep you from ever taking that jump.” That was me. I was letting the fear of failure keep me back from doing something great with my life. He went on to say “god gave us each a gift at birth.” I will say that is something I have always struggled with the gift god has given me. I always ask myself what is this gift God gave me? I know God gave me a gift. I came to the realization that when its time he will reveal that gift to me. I also learned that it’s all about patience.

What Steve was speaking about touched my heart. He made me realize that is okay to take that jump. He went on to explain that when you jump you won’t land on your feet, you will get scars, scrapes AND you will bleed. You just have to remind yourself that do not let fear stop you.

“You can not exist in this life, you have got to try to live.”How moving is that one statement. Living life is one of the hardest things a person can do. Yea we are breathing. We get up and we go to work and then we come home. IS that living life? NO. We get so caught up in existing, we forget to live. We got to take our gift that God has given us and we have to JUMP.

My parting words to you. “If you do not Jump, your parachute with never open. You will never know what god really has for you.”